Cayetano calls for multi-sector COVID-19 info drive

 Former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday called on different sectors to work together to enlighten the public on the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects.

In an interview with Bombo Radyo Bacolod on April 14, Cayetano said people are inclined to listen to their loved ones and community leaders when it comes to information about the COVID-19.

“Extraordinary ang problema kaya dapat extraordinary din ang solusyon,” he said. “Kanino ba nakikinig ang tao? So, una, sa kanilang magulang. Pangalawa, sa kanilang teachers. Pangatlo, sa kanilang mga religious leaders, sa pari, ministro, imam, pastor. (At) sa media. So, dapat talaga multi-sector.”

(Extraordinary problems call for extraordinary solutions. Who do people really listen to? First, their parents. Second, their teachers. Third, their religious leaders, like their priests, ministers, imams, or pastors. And the media. It should be a multi-sector effort.) 

Cayetano urged the national government to work with different stakeholders in explaining COVID-19 to the public and the importance of observing minimum health protocols.

“Ang national government, dapat lapitan ‘di lang ang national government. Pero tulungan, na multi-sector yung approach natin, and patiently explain what kind of virus is this, paano nakakahawa, bakit importante na gawin natin ito.”

(The national government should not just approach its own agencies. We need teamwork and a multi-sectoral approach through which we can patiently explain what kind of virus this is, its mode of infection, and what protocols are important.)

The lawmaker, however, warned that these efforts will only prosper if they are supported by the distribution of financial aid.

“Kahit anong paliwanag mo, kung ang tao ay gutom, walang kinakain, walang trabaho, walang kinikita nagsara o magsasara ang negosyo niya, hahanap at hahanap ng paraan para kumita ‘yan,” he said.

(No matter how hard you explain, if people are hungry, jobless, penniless, or their businesses have just closed shop, they will always find a way to go out and earn money.)

On February 1, Cayetano and his allies filed the 10k Ayuda Bill which seeks to distribute P10,000 to every Filipino family and stimulate economic activity through increased household consumption.  

The former Speaker said providing financial aid to every Filipino family is crucial in transforming the public’s behavior amidst the ongoing pandemic.

“Kailangan talaga natin ng transformational change, yung nagbago talaga ang pagkilos natin lahat,” he said. “Magagawa natin ‘yan kung isasabay natin yung tulong sa ekonomiya o yung tulong sa kabuhayan doon sa direksyon sa medikal.”

(We need transformational change where there’s a change in how we all act. We achieve that if we provide economic or livelihood support alongside our direction in terms of medical strategy.)